Tire guard for straddle trucks



June 27, 1944. L AERN, 2,352,464

TIRE GU ARD FOR STRADDLE TRUCKS Filed Oct. 23, 1941 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor By Q 3,

Attorney June 27,1944. c AERN] v 2,352,464

TIRE GUARD FOR STRADD RU Filed Oct. 23, 1941 3 'Sheet-Sheet 2 Ill En (A AMA/ [0 452M;

June-27, 1944. c. L.VAERNl TIRE GUARD FOR STRADDLE TRUCKS Filed Oct. 25, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I11 z/en tor [1 mm 150 A e/w,

- A Home Patented June 27, 1944 UNITED STATES BATENT" OFFICE 2,352,464 TIRE GUARD FOR STRADDLE TRUCKS Clarence Leo Aerni, Ferriday, La.

Application October 23, 1941, Serial No. 416,273

1 Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in tire guards which can be used for a number of purposes, the principal one of which is to guard the tires on the wheels of straddle trucks, such as are used for carrying lumber in the great lumbering States of the United States. I

At present, when the wheels of lumber carrying straddle trucks are steered they frequently wipeagainst the load and this contact obviously causes wear on the tires.

Therefore, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a guard for each wheel of a straddle truck so that the lumber or load carried by the truck cannot engage any one of the tires, thus eliminating load wear on the side walls of the tires, which heretofore has. caused such damage to the tires as to make guards.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary inside elevational view showing a two-part guard.

Figure 6 is an elevational view showing the two-part guard with its sections in separate relation.

Figure 7 is a view in perspective of one of the forks.

Referring to the drawings "wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that numeral 5 generally refers to a straddle truck which includes a frame Shaving vertical corner cases I, vertically through which are journaled spindles 8 rising from forks 9, in which wheels III are mounted.

The fork 8 embraces an outside substantially narrow leg a and an inside substantially 60 segmental leg b, which leg is provided at its upper edge with an arcuate-shaped outwardly extending flange c to which the leg a is attached by bolts or the like d, this leg a being removable so as to permit removal of the corresponding wheel.

In carrying out the present invention, a tire guard, such as is shown in Figure 4 and generally referred to by numeral II, can be emplayed, or a form of guard such as is shown in Figures 5 and 6 and generally referred to by numeral I 2 can be employed. One is of integral construction and the other of sectional construction.

In regard to the form of the invention as denoted by numeral H, it can be seen that a plate I3 is stamped out in substantially circular form, but having its lower portion cut off on a straight edge It so as to be well above the ground when the guard plate is in place.

The plate I3 is formed substantially at its center with a circular opening l5 for surrounding an annular flange l5 formed on the lower end of the leg b and surrounding a series of bolts l5 securing the brake drum l5 to said leg.

Sincethe inner fork leg b is ordinarily formed with a vertically extending and outwardly protruding bulge e to accommodate certain mechanism relative to the corresponding wheel, the plate I3 is formed with a substantially wide slot extending downwardly from the top thereof to merge with the opening l5, this slot being denoted by numeral IS. The slot It has its edge portions formed with cut away portions ll so that access can be readily had to the usual primary clearance adjusting nuts l8 (see Fig. 3) of the wheel brakes. A pair of openings l9 are provided adjacent the edge 14 of the plate I3 in said plate upon opposite sides of the vertical centerof the same for access to the usual sec- 7 ondary clearance adjusting nut I9" of the wheel brake, not shown. I

Openings 20 are formed in the upper edge of the plate l3 and threaded members can be disposed through these openings and into the new ate flange catthe upper edge of the fork leg b.

It is also preferable that the edges of the plate 13 at the slot l6 be spot welded to the segmental legb.

To facilitate application and removal of the guard plate, the guard plate may be constructed as'shown in Figure 6. This sectional guard is generally referred to by numeral l2 and is divided into a pair of sections 22, 22. These sections 22 22 when brought together form a guard exactly as represented in Figure 4 and is applied in the same position as shown in Figure 3, and in this connection a comparison can be made with Figure 5.

Obviously, there are on the market other forms of straddle. trucks besides that represented in the drawings here and a certain one of these other types does not have a bulge e on its inside ion: leg, thus eliminating the necessity of havinvention, what is The combination with a wheel fork having a vertical leg provided at its lower end with an 15 annular flange on one side of the leg, a vertical central bulge on said side of the leg forming a rib extending upwardly from said flange, and an arcuate lateral; wheel guarding flange at the upper end of the leg and on the other side there of, of a, plate-like side guard for the wheel of segmental form disposed against the first-mentioned side of theleg in vertical position and having a straight bottom edge, and an opening therein fitting around said annular flange, said guard having a vertical slot therein extending radially upwardly from said opening and fitting over said rib, and fasteners extending through the upper edge portion of said guard into said lateral flange.

CLARENCE LEO AERNI. 

